Strangers at the Elevator

I got lucky and as I walked into the elevator hall at work coming back from lunch, one opened up that was going down. That's a rare thing to happen and normally I give up waiting and go down the stairs. I witness a nurse hurriedly telling a gnetlman how to get where he was trying to go and he walks away to go and I look over and see him looking around and put his hands on his hips and hung his head looking defeated. I had a decision to make here, either hop on the elevator or go to help this stranger. I looked back at the elevator as the doors just began to close. I looked back at him, and back at the doors where I could have shoved my hand in to reopen the doors. Instead I sighed a little to myself and walked towards the gentleman who was clearly feeling lost and looked slightly despaired. The hospital is comprised of 4 buildings or "hospitals" and it can be a pain navigating them even for employees.

"Can I help you find where you are going?" I asked. He looked releived and told me he was needing to get some bloodwork done. I asked if he knew which hospital he was told to go to. "The West hospital, first floor" he replied. "Ah, that's this way, I'll walk you there and get you onto the elevators." I said and he began to walk with me. As we walked he explained he was getting a kidney transplant there soon and needed to get his presurgical bloodwork done. He said how he was going to get his life back and couldn't wait. I showed him where to look if he ever needed to come back to see how to get to each hospital. He said he was sorry to take me out of my way and I assured him it was no bother and I could get back to where I needed to be from any of the hospitals. We parted ways on the elevator when I had to get off on my floor, I let him know which one to get off on and wished him well. He thanked me many times over for helping him find his way. I didn't do it to get recognition. I didn't do it to brag or say I helped him. I did it because I knew it was what I should do.

The look of relief that he was going to be able to find his way spoke volumes of how defeated and upset he felt. I know that feeling, and I'm not sure what words I'd use to describe it. Despair? Frustration? No matter what you choose to describe those feelings, I know you want nothing more than to have someone help you out. It didn't take a lot of my time. I could have opted to shove my hand in the elevator doors and gone on about my day. I could have told myself he will figure it out. Instead I chose to take a moment and help someone out that no one else seemed to notice. The replay of the nurse hurriedly trying to tell him where to go as the elevator doors began to close played in my head as I thought of him later that day. It seems most are more worried about what they are doing and where they are going to stop and truly help someone else. Maybe she forgot what it was like trying to navigate the hospital when she first began working. Maybe she only needs to know one route and that's how to get to her department and to the cafeteria. Maybe I misread what was going on. All I knew is this person needed some help and that it costs nothing to be kind, just a little bit of your time and minimal effort.

What did it cost me to help this man? Walking a little further to get back to my work area and a few moments making small talk with a stranger. What did I gain, though? I gained a glimpse of someone else's life and knowing I did the right thing that day. Not replaying an image of a lost man who desperately wanted help that I ignored in my mind. I gained peace of mind that this person got where they needed to be in order to get their bloodwork done so they could have their life saving surgery. Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching you, while there were a lot of people around, no one was actually watching or paying attention. People swarmed by him as they walked into the elevator hall as he stood there obviously lost, and everyone else was oblivious. That's kind of what our society has become. A sea of people staring at their phone or rushing to the next place they need or want to be. I'm glad I was present that day and that I was paying attention to things around me. I'm glad I was able to take those moments to help this man and walk with him. Hopefully this sparks someone else to do the same.